1. Field of the Invention
The invention is based on a device for separating gas and liquid from a gas-liquid mixture flowing in a line, and on a method for separating such a mixture in the device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In processing technology in general, and in automobile manufacture, rainwater in the intake nozzle of the air filter housing occurs, for instance, and in other industrial applications, the problem often arises that liquids are mixed with gases or vapors and have to be separated from one another. The problems that the liquids cause are, depending on the application, corrosion, functional problems, and sometimes the destruction of equipment.
From U.S. Pat. No. 5, 507,858, it is known to use a gridlike perforated plate with openings in a housing connected in a line, in order to separate liquid particles, flowing in a medium, from the air or from a gas. However, at relatively high flow speeds, the degree of separation drops markedly. since the liquid flowing on the perforated plate does not pass through the openings.
The device according to the invention and the method has the advantage over the prior art that in a simple way, the quality of phase separation is independent of the mean flow velocity, because two physical effects are exploited.
It is advantageous if at least one inlet opening is located in an initial region of the housing, because as a result, one entire surface of a separator element can be utilized for the phase separation.
It is especially advantageous if the separator element, with a first end, adjoins the inlet opening, since as a result the separator element faces directly into the flow.
Depending on the design of a housing of the device, it is advantageous for the separator element to slope upward or downward in the main flow direction.
If a plurality of separator elements are used, it is advantageous to use at least one support foot. Then it is especially advantageous if the second or later separator element in the gas flow direction receives the liquid from the first or preceding separator element.
At low flow speeds, it is advantageous to design a shape of the at least one opening such that a surface tension of the liquid prevents a flow of the liquid through the at least one opening.
At high flow speeds, it is advantageous to design a shape of the at least one opening such that different forces of inertia of the liquid and gas prevent a flow of the liquid through the at least one opening.
It is advantageous to prevent the flow of the liquid through the at least one opening by means of the most favorable possible wetting angle, which is dictated by the shape of the at least one opening.
One advantageous shape of a cross section of the opening on the top side of the at least one separator element is a parallelogram-like shape, since this makes a favorable wetting angle possible.
One advantageous shape of the cross section of the at least one opening of the at least one separator element on the top side is a lenticular shape, since this makes a favorable wetting angle possible.
In the orientation of the at least one opening in the gas flow direction, it is advantageous that a longest main axis of the at least one opening is aligned in the gas flow direction.